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I would support a parliamentary initiative that the government of Canada convene a meeting with provincial and territorial governments, with aboriginal consultation, to search for a common approach to poverty and homelessness. I reviewed Bill C-400 — an NDP-backed private member’s bill calling for the development of a national housing strategy that was defeated Wednesday — to determine if that was its effect. Unfortunately it is not.

It is important to remember that poverty reduction measures remain the primary responsibility of the provincial and territorial governments, so the government of Canada is limited to working in partnership with them. It is easy for an Opposition politician to suggest that the government of Canada unconstitutionally impose its wishes upon the provinces. In government, it’s not that simple. Too many problems have been created by giving governments responsibility for issues over which they have no legal authority.

The mandatory language of Bill C-400 makes clear that the bill requires the government of Canada to provide deliverables that are the responsibility of the provinces. Among other things, the bill requires the federal government to make available not-for-profit housing, and to mandate design and equipment standardization of social housing in all provinces. This bill insists on the absolute requirement for the government of Canada to provide such deliverables without any qualification or any requirement for provincial consent.

There are other flaws in Bill C-400, such as the estimated $5-billion cost, the lack of definition of numerous key terms, and the requirement for the government of Canada to negotiate agreements with undetermined “civil society organizations,” but all of these are made moot by the bill’s insistence that the government of Canada take over provincial responsibilities without the authority to do so effectively.

The government has in fact been able to accomplish a great deal in this area since 2006 through partnerships.

The government has provided assistance to 755,000 Canadian households including low-income families, seniors, persons with disabilities and First Nations people. This includes almost 605,000 households living in existing social housing, for which $1.7 billion in federal funding is provided annually. It also includes more than 46,000 new affordable housing units that were created as a result of investments under Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Affordable Housing Initiative and the On-Reserve Non-profit Housing program. It further includes close to 104,000 homes repaired or adapted as a result of federal renovation investments.

Among these was almost a quarter-million dollars to deliver improvements to Anna Kaljas Homes (which serves people with special needs and homelessness) and supporting a study by the Region of Waterloo to identify effective approaches to homelessness among families, to name just two local examples among many.

As with any private member’s bill, I waited until all debate was complete before making a final decision. However, Bill C-400 would require heavy amendment to be supportable.

I remain concerned about homelessness and poverty in Canada. I regret that Bill C-400 doesn’t simply call for federal co-ordination of the efforts of all governments. I hope that federal and provincial governments will continue to work in partnership on issues of poverty and homelessness.

Stephen Woodworth is the Conservative member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre.